Fence-making machine.



Nolammso. PATBNTBD MA Y14,190'7. w. P. VOLKENANT.

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum) 1113.12, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

rm: NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, D. a.

PATENTBD MAY 14, 1907.

W. F. VOLKENANT. FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PERM, 1907.

1 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

11-1: wnmzls PETERS ca, WASHINnToN, n c

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\ FENCE-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed Ieburary 12, 1907. Serial No. 356,974.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. VOLKE- NANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lester Prairie, in the county of McLeod and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fence-Making Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use. the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and efiicient portable fence, making machine especially adapted for making wire fence on the posts or in the position in which it is to be used.

To the above ends the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in side elevation, showing the improved fence making machine or device in operative position, and illustrating the action thereof in making a fence. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, but on a larger scale than in Fig. 1, showing the fence making machine removed from working position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device, some parts being broken away. Fig 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 00 m of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the so-called twisters, and Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the said twister.

The numeral 1 indicates a channel bar which is supportedin an upright position, preferably by means of a shoe or ground bracket 2 secured to the lower end thereof and adjustably connected to the intermediate portion thereof by a brace rod 3, which brace rod telescopes into the up-turned arm 2 of said shoe and is rigidly but adjustably secured thereto by'a set screw 4. By adjustments of the rod 3 with respect to the arm 2, the channel bar 1 which constitutes the body support of the fence machine may be set in a vertical position even when the underlying ground is on an incline.

The body web of the channel bar 1 is perforated, at the desired point longitudinally thereof and is provided with bearing collars 5. These bearing collars 5 are slightly reduced twisters.

at one end to fit the large perforations in the channel bar 1, .and the reduced ends are slightly upset, thereby rigidly securing the bearing sleeves 5 to the said channel bar. Loosely j ournaled in each bearing sleeve 5 is a rotary twister sleeve 6, one end of which is flanged for engagement with the reduced end of the bearing sleeve 5. To the other end of said twister sleeve 6 is secured a worm gear 7. This worm gear 7 is preferably secured to the twister sleeve 6 by a pair of nutted bolts 8, which bolts are passed through a transverse web 6 of said sleeve 6 and through a transverse web 7* of said gear 7. The said webs 6 and 7 a are each formed, respectively, with diametrically opposite line wire passages 6 and 7 which passages 6 and 7 aline with each other. Each twister head made up of the cooperating sleeve 6 and gear 7 carries a spreader which is preferably in the form of an approximately T-shaped bracket 9, the base .flanges of which are rigidly secured to the web 7 of'the gear 7 by the nutted bolts 8 before described. The extended cross arm of the spreader bracket 9 is formed by a pair of laterally spaced straps, between the endsof which are journaled small guide sheaves 10.

Mounted in suitable bearings 11 and extending approximately from end to end of the channel bar 1, is a shaft 12 that is provided with worms 13. In the construction illustrated, the five lower twisters are located so close together that their gears 7 intermesh with each other. Hence, one worm 13 meshing with one of said lower gears 7 serves to impart rotary movement to the five lower One worm 13 meshes with each of the gears 7 of all of the twisters above the lower five. At its intermediate portion, said shaft 12 is also provided witha bevel pinion 14 that meshes with a bevel gear 15 mounted in a suitable bearing yoke 16 secured to said channel bar 1. A crank lever 1.7 is secured to and for rotation with the bevel gear 15. As is evident, simultaneous rotary movements may be imparted to the several twisters by rotation of the crank 17. The numeral 18 indicates websshown as secured to the back of the channel bar 1.

The numeral 19 indicates hooks shown as applied to the upper arm 2 of the shoe 2, and

which hooks are engageable with certain of the line wires to assist in supporting the 'device in working position. 4 I

In Fig. 1, the line wires of the fence are indicated by the letter a and thelpickets or stay IIO wires are indicated by the letter I). The line wires a are arranged in pairs and may be as sumed to be stretched from post to post in approximately the positions they occupy in the completed fence. The line wires (1 are extended through the passages 6 and 7 b and over the guide sheaves 10 of the twisters, as

shown in Fig. 1, and the said line wires are twisted together in pairs by simultaneous rotary movements of the several twisters under the action of the crank 17. When the sev eral wires have been twisted together for a distance representing the space between pickets or stay wires b, a picket is placed in position at the forward terminations of the several twists and then the machine is moved ahead slightly, and the twisters are then rotated in a reverse direction until the said wires have been twisted together a distance proper for the application of the next stay or picket. In this way, as is evident, the fence is formed with line wires, the twists of which are alternated between successive stays or pickets.

By a machine of the kind described, wire fence may be rapidly constructed at the exact place Where it is intended for use. Said machine is of small cost and, hence, will find extensive sale where more expensive machines would not be sold.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with an extended body support, of a plurality of twisters rotatively mounted thereon, each of said twisters comprising a gear, a detachably connected flanged bearing sleeve and a spreader bracket, which head made up of late ally spacedmetal straps and interposed sheaves l0, a shaft 12 journaled m bearings on said support 1 and provided with worms meshing with said gears 7,

and a crank mounted in the bearing on said bar 1. and geared to said shaft 12, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combination with an upright bod y support and a plurality of twisters mounted thereon, of a shoe 2 attached to the lower end ol said upright body support and, provided with an upturned arm 2, and an adjustable brace rod 3 attached to the intermediate portion of said upright body support and telescoping with and adapted to be secured in dill'erent positions with respect to the said arm 2, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. VOLKIINANT.

itnesses:

0. IV. LUNns'rnN, HENRY EmcKsoN. 

